Souls Stained Black
by A Dragon Guarded Heart
Summary: this is my sequel to Now I Might Not Be So Alone. after defeating Neo Cupid tries to become friends with Pitch until they learn a dark and dangerous secret about her, one that could lead to everyone's destruction. and a few people are out for revenge on her. filled with violence, blood, some torture, humor, fluff, hurt, and love. rated M for violence and language.
1. Am I Good?

**If you haven't read the story before this one, it's ****Now I might not be so alone****, you need to read that one **first** or else you will have no idea what is going on.**

**Cupids POV**

"We could spar? Ugh I'm such an idiot!" I smashed my head against the rock. I rubbed my forehead, "ow". The rock wall looked a lot softer than it was. I mean really behind a waterfall you either expect a cave or soft spongy rock because it's always wet. I can't shower at my house cause it would look really weird if it was raining from just one cloud. And I know I could just shower while it's raining but I tried it before and people freak out if there is one patch of hot rain in a rainstorm. So a nice hot spring waterfall with my magic wall around it is my ideal shower.

I let the water flow over my face, "I wonder how it will go?" I was really nervous. I'm going to go back to Pitch's' lair today. It's been a week since we defeated Neo and this is going to be the first time I've gone back since then. He said not to come back until I was fully healed, and I've been completely healed for about 3 days now, I just haven't been able to sum up the courage to go back yet. The only evidence of the fight with Neo is a long scar on my left wing. It's a lighter color than the rest of my wing, like a light pink almost white.

I walk out of the waterfall to dry myself and ring out my hair. I put on my clothes and sat on a rock next to the river bank. My reflection is almost hard to look at. My wet blonde hair has the darkish color of the blonde I had when I was human, minus the pink ends. My skin now the in-between color of pale skin and slightly tan, very soft tones of color. But my eyes, my eyes didn't not change. Finding out I was now Cupid I thought that they would be pink or something, no, because you can't run away from who you really are. I'm not the bubbly happy of pink; I'm the cold hard steel of gray. A dark ring of blue gray on the outside and a slightly lighter gray in the rest of my iris. Nothing special. No florescent gold and silver like Pitch. The only light thing about my eyes is the daggers of icy silver white that peek out from behind my pupil. I can't stand it anymore so I stand up and look away.

I have magic that could turn my eyes pink and make my eyelashes thick and my lips redder, and you know just pettier. I could turn into a model of I wanted to, but after years of everyone telling me to change who I am why would I do it to myself? I have my pure beauty, I'm average when it comes to looks, and I'm ok with that. I don't like the spotlight anyway.

"I should probably get going". I took off into the air and shot across the sky. The wind howled in my ears and ran through my hair, drying it in a matter of seconds. It would only take me a few minutes to get to Pitch's lair. It would no matter where I was in the world; I fly fast, like, really fast.

I landed on the forest floor a few feet from the old bed frame.

"Why did everything around Pitch have to smell so good?" I thought. The old wood smelled so good. Pitch's lair smelled dark and enticing. And Pitch, he smelled really good, the dark dangerous scent sent was like nothing I've ever encountered before.

I took a deep breath, "I need to chill". Taking that big breath of air didn't help though; it just brought more of Pitch's' essence into my lungs. I shuddered.

"Dammit, just do it!" I screamed in my head. I jumped into the hole and slid down to its' dirt floor. I eased my way through the tunnel and into the opening of Pitch's lair. Its' magnificence never ceases to amaze me.

I look around but Pitch is nowhere to be seen.

"pitch?" I'm really nervous so my voice came out like in a tiny squeak. I was appalled by it, "I'm am not a weakling!", I thought.

"Boo"

I shrieked and bolted up to the ceiling where I hung on to a rock like a frightened cat hangs on to the ceiling.

Pitch's laughter echoed through the cavern. I looked down from where I clung and I saw him next to the spot I was standing a few seconds ago; hugging his chest and doubled over in laughter.

Pitch was laughing uncontrollably, the kind of laugh you have when someone just tripped horribly and fantastically and your sense of dark humor kicks in.

"Ahahahaha that was fantastic! I don't think I've ever scared someone that bad from a simple unexpected fright! Hahahahaha!"

I was seriously ticked off. I dropped to the ground next to him and tried to look as menacing as possible. "What the heck was that for!?"

He stopped laughing and stared at me like that was the stupidest question he had ever heard, "Nothing, I just wanted to scare you."

"Why!?"

Pitch smirked, "I'm the boogeyman, it's what I do." He started circling me, "And you were just such an easy scare. Fear and nervousness was just oozing out of you. It was so delicious, like sweet candy, and I wanted more. Little did I know that you might actually give me a cavity from how frightened you were."

I felt my face get red at the delicious part, "hah, funny. Toothania won't be happy"

He huffed, "like I care what that idiot fairy thinks". I laughed a bit and Pitch gave me a questioning look. "Why are you here?"

"uh….." oh wait! "to spar!" that last part almost sounded like a question.

"uh-uh" Pitch didn't sound very convinced. "So how do you plan to go about it then?"

"uh" I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't see the nightmare that was charging toward me. I dropped to the floor to evade it and looked up to find that Pitch was gone and the nightmare was starting to bank around to charge at me again. I summoned a shield and braced myself for it's' impact. The nightmare crashed into me exploding into a cloud of nightmare sand all around me. Once the sand cleared I saw that I was now surrounded by nightmares, dark wolves, and fearlings.

"oh no" I squeaked.

**And that is chapter 1! I do not own rise of the guardians or any of its' characters! **


	2. Or Am I Bad?

**Pitch's Pov**

"No, no. her fear is all wrong" I had her entirely surrounded by fearlings and my nightmare sand creatures and she was only a tiny bit worried!? She should be terrified! Well, I guess it's time to change that.

I commanded my minions, "Get her".

The nightmare wolves and a few fearlings closed in on her while the nightmares and the rest of the fearlings flew up to attack her from above. She drew both of her swords and immediately starting felling the wolves and the fearlings drew swords of their own and parried her blows.

Her determination was astounding. She had a fighting smile on her face and didn't pause at all when a blow was landed on her she just retaliated and fought the next enemy after that. I thought I would have her overwhelmed when the nightmares and fearlings started attacking from above, but she had so many cards up her sleeve. She surrounded herself in magic like she was going to shape shift but she just turned into a ball.

"What?" I thought. But she really was tricky. The ball started hurtling away from the mass of enemies and steamrolled over anything that was in her way and launched herself towards the wall. I thought she was going to smash into it but the ball dissipated and she crashed into the wall and she shape shifted her hands and feet into claws to race across the wall like some sort of mountain climbing demon.

"This is getting ridiculous" I changed into shadow form and projected myself on the wall opposite of her, "How many more tricks are you going to pull" I teased, my voice echoing through the cavern.

She looked up from running across the wall and gave me a devilish grin, "oh I've got a bunch more". She jumped off of the wall and flew towards my shadow and hovered in front of me. I saw magic coat her body for a split second and then small pink spikes protruded from her skin and clothing.

"Impressive"

"Thanks, you wanna hug?", she gave me a cocky smile.

"Good luck hugging a shadow", I deadpanned, "and if I were you I would focus on the nightmares that are on your tail".

She looked behind her and saw the nightmares and fearlings that were charging at her. She reared her wings and shot down towards the pool. She weaved in and out of the maze of pillars hoping to lose them but they just phased right through the rock. She angled upwards to gain a height advantage but when she looked back to see how close the fearlings were a nightmare shot out of the wall and knocked her to the ground and into the middle of the pack of wolves. All of the minions surrounded her again and Pitch laughed and stepped out onto a ledge, "Would you just give up already? This is taking a millennia"

She looked up at me, "well if you're bored I can wrap this up real quick". She smiled that cocky smile again, "does she have another trick up her sleeve?" I thought. She glowed again, and started spinning. The glow was intensifying with streams of magic spinning around her, and I felt air being sucked towards her.

My eyes widened "she's creating a tornado". I retreated back into shadow form and watched her small twister grow into a giant spinning vortex that was sucking in all of my minions, staining the pink black and purple.

My black heart started to pound in my chest, I felt fear, the vortex was now half the size of the cavern.

"That power", I thought. I then realized just how deadly Ashley really was. She could defeat me easily if she wanted to, all she needed was a reason and I would be helpless to stop her. I've only seen a handful of her tricks and I know next to nothing about the rest of her power. She was a monster….

The vortex started to diminish in size until it disappeared laving behind a cage full of my captured minions.

She smiled and said happily, "ok Pitch I'm done!" It was astounding. She just created that giant tornado and she was only a bit winded.

I stepped out of the shadows and cleared my throat, "why did you capture them?"

"Cause you're controlling them"

"What?" I was confused.

"You're controlling them so you would just call them off when the fight was over, so I didn't want to destroy them"

"Why? They were attacking you"

"I only kill things as a last resort and I will never take a person's life no matter how much they want to take mine"

"That kind of thinking will get you killed".

She smiled, "maybe, but I don't think anyone would ever be able to kill me".

The scary thing is that I think she's right.

"Whatever, release my minions and I will call them off."

"ok!" the magic cage disappeared and everything immediately started charging at her.

"Enough" I ordered. The creatures stopped and ran off to disappear into the walls, but their presence was still here.

"So can we actually spar now?"

My attention snapped back to Ashley, "what!?"

"Spar, like hand to hand and weapon to weapon. Not just throwing your minions at me"

"She can get as cocky as Jack Frost" I thought. "Fine, but you asked for it".

"Alright! Let's go!" she jumped back into a fighting stance her fists at the ready.

"Well come on then", I challenged. She leaped at me and started throwing punches my way. I dodged them easily. She jumped to the side and tried to land a kick to my chest but I let it phase right trough me. She was distracted for a second and I grabbed her leg and threw her to the ground. I disappeared before she could look up and I phased into a shadow behind her. I saw her get up and sniff the air but before she could turn around I gave her a kick of my own and sent her falling to the ground. She jumped up ready for me to attack her again as I walked out of the shadows.

"You didn't expect me to hold back did you?", I asked.

"Nope, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I've never fought a Shadowmancer before and I must say you are quite the opponent."

"Shadowmancer? I could get used to that", I thought.

"I've seen you fight Neo with your scythe so can I fight weapon to weapon with you next?"

"Now you're really digging your own grave", I teased while summoning my scythe. She smiled again and summoned two swords of her own. She ran at me and our battle begun.

I have to say I didn't think she would be as good as she was. She parried every blow of mine and when we would lock blades we would be at a stalemate. We pushed off, "it looks like I'll just have to up my game a bit", I thought.

I brought the blade down upon her and she jumped out of the way. Before she could land I threw a giant stream of nightmare sand at her, I honestly thought she could evade it but her foot slipped and it hit her head on. Ashley was knocked backwards onto the ground and laid there motionless.

Fear settled in my gut again, "Ashley?" she didn't answer. I was about to run to her side but I felt a dark magic pulsate from her. I stepped back; this dark magic was extremely evil. Streams of black magic flowed from the floor and started to swirl around her. It grew faster and faster until a black light exploded from where she laid and I had to brace myself. Wind sped past me until it stopped when I heard a voice, and it wasn't Ashley's.

"Hello Pitch".

It wasn't Ashley's voice, not quite. It was darker and deeper than her normal happy tone and it had a dangerous malevolence to it. Like one of those evil queens in fairy tales that speaks calmly but you know that she can rip you apart in a matter of seconds. The magic was starting to clear and I got a look at who the speaker was. It was still Ashley but not Ashley.

Her corset ant tutu was now a curve hugging black dress that was longer in the back than it was in the front with a silver and gold ribbon belt around her waist. Her dress ended at her chest and turned into lace that went up her neck and out to her shoulders where it continued to her forearm and turned back to fabric that went down her arm and ended in a point at her wrists. Her boots were now black slippers; her nails were black instead of natural and instead of her blond hair that had sharp ends sticking out of it and a few rugged bangs her hair was now jet black and smoothed out with not a hair out of place or any bangs in her face. Her wings were that of a demon, black with spikes and ripped edges. Her skin was a few shades towards the grey spectrum and her eyes were now blood red instead of gray.

She was terrifying.

"You're afraid of me. That's very wise" she said. She still had the sharp toothed smile but it was more predatory than confident. I was speechless, and she looked amused at my reaction.

"Wow you are a cute one. But I suppose I do owe you an introduction", she paused, "I am the evil side of Ashley. I am Avarias the embodiment of hate and anger".

I was still speechless but I managed to speak, "the evil side of Ashley?".

"Yes. I am the opposite of her joy and love. I am the spirit that gives this world hate and anger. I am the cause of wars, treason, genocides, and oh so sweet betrayal." She shuttered in pleasure.

Ashley's words repeated in my mind, "I've got your back Pitch you can count on that." She said she would never betray me. "Why are you here?" I asked her.

"Well it seems that your nightmare sand had enough dark magic to give me enough power to take over for the time being." She examined her nails.

"Take over?" I asked.

"Yes, while Ashley and I do share this body she is in a constant fight for control of it. She is a lot stronger than I am so she is in control most of the time but when the balance between good and evil get tipped I can take over for a little while. Oh she was fighting so hard when you were trying to take over and destroy the Guardians I almost broke free when the Sandman perished but her infuriating loyalty for him overpowered me".

I almost caused her to lose control of herself and she still stepped in to save me from the nightmares?

"Are you keeping up alright Pitchy? Cause I won't be here for much longer".

I decided to overlook that comment, "where do you think you're going?" I wasn't about to let her out of my sight until I knew about everything that was going on.

"Oh my stupid little Nightmare King I'm not going anywhere. As we speak Ashley is fighting for control of this body back and she is about to win".

"Good" I thought, "I'm only one step away from destroying her".

"But Pitch." My attention snapped back to Avarias. "This isn't the last time you'll see me something big is about to go down".

"Oh really?" I deadpanned, "that's fantastic because your company was just so enjoyable".

She put her hand on her hip, "hmph, like I said you are a cute one". Her black magic glowed and encased her body and she slowly absorbed it until it revealed Ashley's unconscious form. She started to fall forward and I disappeared into the shadows and reappeared in front of her to grab her shoulders and steady her. Her eyelids twitched a bit and she opened her gray eyes and looked up at me.

"Pitch? Wha-what happened?"


	3. Am I Wrong?

**Me: Okay guys I know you are reading this story, I can see my traffic stats. But please if it's not too much trouble can you please leave a review or a like or something? I'm dying for some sort of feedback on this story and its' prequel ****Now I might not be so alone****, I don't care if it's a simple cool or good job or if you found a spelling error or if you have a suggestion or if you want to flat out tell me you hate it. I need something! Anything! *faints**

**Pitch: oh dear is she dead? **

**Ok that's my rant, now back to the story:**

**Pitch's POV**

"Pitch? Wha-what happened?"

Ashley looked completely dazed and worn out. "And she doesn't remember anything?" I thought.

"What is the last thing you remember?" I asked her.

She knitted her brows in concentration, "we-we were sparring. You hit me with nightmare sand and I got knocked back and then everything went kinda fuzzy" she looked back up at me, "What happened?"

"Um…", I started, "how do I explain this?" I thought. In my moment of hesitation her eyes widened and filled with fear. She jumped back from me like I was made of glass and she could break me with the slightest touch.

"Was it Avarias?" she asked. I was taken aback, and she saw the shock in my eyes.

Ashley's eyes were still filled with fear, "Did I hurt you!?"

"No" I answered. She looked like she didn't believe me.

"Look Pitch anything I said or did please forgive me! I don't have much control over what she says and does. No matter what she said she does to people I would never betray you!"

"Why did you have to reinforce that point?" not everything that she and Avarias said was adding together.

Her eyes widened in fear and tears started to line her bottom eyelid. I was studying her body language carefully when I saw Avarias' from flash over Ashley. It was only a second but Avarias was grinning murderously. I felt a flicker of fear.

Ashley's eyes widened even further, "No, you can't be afraid of me. Please". She took a step back, then turned and ran. "I can't hurt you!" She flew out of my lair with tears in her eyes.

I stared at her retreating form, then turned around and walked away. "Because you promised right?", I sneered.

**I know it's short, sorry! Also really need a cool and threatening name for Ashley's evil side. I suck at coming up with names and I really don't like Avarias, so leave me some suggestions if you have any.**


	4. Or Am I Right?

I felt the tears being ripped from my eyes as I sped through the sky.

I've had too many people be afraid of me in my life. When I was alive they would be scared to be around me because I was different. That still happens with other spirits. There are so many spirits that don't want to get near me because they sense power. They can never pinpoint whether it's a dark or light power so they find it safer to stay away. And then there is the case of the few spirits that have seen Avarias in action. They are afraid and stay away or they stay away because they are mad they can't destroy her. If they did then I would be destroyed to, and that would tear apart the balance of this world.

I don't see Avarias as all that bad though.

Just like fear with Pitch she has a place in this world. Anger will make us take action, and change things for the better. Hate can make us take down those we see as evil and unjust. But with too much the world falls into chaos. All the spirits good or bad must maintain the balance, not too much power and not too little.

So many have left me, left both of us, all alone without anyone to heal out broken hearts. And I just can't have Pitch leave me too.

I feel the air drop in temperature. I look up to see Jack flying in front of me, I stop and hover. He heard me and turned around, "Ashley? Ashley why are you crying!?" I'm speechless for a moment, and then I bolt through the sky away from him. "Ashley wait!" I don't want him to see me cry, I don't want anyone to see me cry. I heard Jack still yelling at me to stop but I just kept going. I looked behind me to see if I lost him but I smashed into Sandy's plane. I got knocked back and was stunned for a few seconds, until I felt cold arms wrap around me.

I thrashed and kicked but Jack just squeezed me tighter. "Let go of me!"

"No. not until you tell me what's going on" Jack yelled. Sandy glided over in front of me with a question mark over his head.

"Nothing is going on!"

"Then why are you crying!?"

"I'm not!"

"I see you crying! What happened!?"

"Nothing!"

"Was it Pitch?"

I yanked away from him again, "No!"

"I don't believe you!"

"IT WAS AVARIAS!"

Everything went silent. Sandy's question mark turned into an exclamation point and a worried look appeared on his face. I hung limp in Jack arms.

"Wait, what? What's Avarias?" Jack asked. I grimaced and shut my eyes waiting for sandy to tell Jack about my other evil side, and then he would hate me too. I felt Jack hug me tighter and rest his chin on my head.

"You can always tell us anything but I understand if you don't want to right now. I just have to make sure you are ok". I brought my hands up and squeezed his arm, "Thanks Jack, the hug really helped"

"You're welcome", he released me from his grip and back up a bit. I looked up at Sandy in front of me. He reached up and stroked my hair with a checkmark and a question mark above his head.

"Yea, I'm ok". Sandy nodded his head and backed up. I gave them a smile and flew off. It didn't take long to reach my domain. I was met with an irritated dragon because he knew something was wrong.

"I'm fine, everything is ok" He snorted unhappily. I stroked his chin, "but I am a little shaken up, so would it be ok if I slept with you tonight?" Excaliver snorted and gave me a nod but I caught a slight smile before he turned around to go to my room. I smiled and followed him. He laid down at the foot of my bed and waited for me to join him. I curled up next to his belly and wrapped my arms around his claw. He brought his tail in around me protectively and did the same with his head. I felt Excaliver's head move and a blanket get placed on top of me. I smiled and drifted off to sleep.

**NO POV**

"So let me get this straight, Ashley has another side of her?" Jack asked. A few hours had passed since Jack and Sandy had their encounter with her earlier. It was dark now and Sandy had just started spreading dreams to children. Sandy nodded to Jack's question.

"And she is evil?"

Sandy gave Jack the "more or less sign"

"And she is the spirit of anger and hate and stuff?"

Sandy nodded.

"And Ashley has to keep her, her other self, in check?"

Another nod.

"But sometimes she takes over"

Sandy created a timer above his head.

"But not for very long"

Sandy nodded.

"Who all knows about this?"

Sandy created a question mark.

Jack laid back on Sandy's cloud, "wow that's a lot to take in. and she is afraid if anyone knows that they'll hate her…"

Sandy took on a solemn look and nodded.

"She should know better than that with us"

Sandy smiled and nodded. Jack sighed; "she's tries to stay strong for everyone but she doesn't trust anyone enough to lean on them…" Jack thought. I pained him knowing that she had been hurt and betrayed that much.

"You'll really be in pain soon Jack"

Jack snapped up at the new voice around them. He grabbed for his staff and Sandy was starting to conjure up his dreamsand whips but they were surrounded in black before they could. The clouds cleared and Jack and Sandy were gone without a trace.


	5. I Can't Decide

Pitch couldn't stop thinking about the encounter with Ashley and Avarias. He couldn't stop coming up with scenarios of Ashley's betrayal. He just kept pacing around his lair.

"She could be playing innocent and using her darker side to take the blame for any inklings of betrayal I've felt from her. Any time her tongue slipped. Anytime her power could have taken me out and she reeled it back in. Avarias could be fake for all I know!" Pitch abruptly stopped.

"But, could she have actually meant it?" the thought passed through Pitch's mind of its' own accord. "That can't be possible" he thought. Another free thought, "but she was crying when I turned on her"

Pitch roared out, "BECAUSE I FIGURED OUT HER PLAN TO BETRAY ME!" he dug his fingers into his scalp, "I'm arguing with myself I must be crazy"

He felt Ashley's fear spike. His head snapped up at the familiar taste of her fear. But this time it was a darker kind of sweet. She was petrified in fear.

Pitch was so distracted by deciding if he should check on her or not he didn't notice a new presence in his lair.

"I can't believe you actually care about her". Pitch whipped around only to be enveloped in dark magic then disappear entirely.


	6. But What I Do Know

It was dark, and I was scared. I couldn't see anything it was so dark, but it started to lighten up. I was surrounded by my friends.

"Guys!" I joyfully screamed. All the Guardians were circled around me. I was so happy; I wasn't alone any more. Because that was my true fear, to be alone.

"I'm so happy you're here!" I was crying tears of happiness. But then I noticed their expressions. They all looked so….disappointed…..

"Guys?" I paused, "wha-what's wrong?" they focused their eyes on me again, and they turned around, and started walking away.

"Guys? Guys!? Wait! Where are you going!?" I spun around watching all of them walk away. I turned to Jack. "Jack?" Nothing. I turned to Sandy, "Sandy?" He just kept walking. I started spinning around again. I watched them slowly disappear from my view. I was about to run after Jack but I felt a dark presence behind me. I slowly turned around. Pitch was standing a small distance away from me. Hope bloomed in my heart.

I had a giant smile on my face; my tears of sadness turned to happy again "Pitch!" He locked his golden and silver eyes with mine, and he turned around. The smile fell from my face, Pitch was leaving me too.

I sprinted after him, tears running down my face. Blood pounded in my ears, my heart was racing, every inch of my body oozed power and desire to catch up to him. But the faster I went the farther he got. I willed myself to go faster. But it wasn't enough.

I saw him disappear from view and I skid to a stop. "He left me too" I felt more tears coming on, but there was a smell that started to fill the room. I saw the light in the room turn red. I slowly turned around and my foot hit something. I looked down, it was Jack's staff. I bent down and started to pick it up, but it snapped in half when I touched it. I heard Jack's scream fill the room. My head snapped up. Jack was around ten feet away from me doubled over clutching his stomach. He was covered in cuts and bruises. His hoodie was in shreds and he was bleeding from the fresh looking cuts from head to toe. He looked up at me with terror in his eyes, "why?" he breathed, then he collapsed. I was frozen in terror. I heard his breathing stop. I was about to run to him, but then I noticed what Jack fell on.

My pupils shrunk in fear. Under the body of jack was a pile of the rest of the Guardians. Dead. Bloody. Lifeless. Bodies.

They were all covered in blood, bruises, cuts, and some of their limbs had obviously been broken. I brought my hands up to my face in horror but the smell of blood got stronger. I looked at my hands. They were covered in blood. I looked down at my body, there were blood splatters and scarlet stains all over me, and I had a belt of bloodied daggers in a belt around my waist.

I started to back up in horror. I could smell all of them on me, Bunny, North, Tooth, Jack, even Sandy's golden blood. I backed up into something; I whipped around. My heart sunk. Pitch was pinned to a pillar with a dagger through his heart. His face was twisted in pain, and his inky blood was streaming down his chest and arms. There was a cut above his eye causing blood to run down his face. He opened his eyes to look down at me, "I knew you would betray me" he grimaced in pain and I heard his breathing stop.

Pitch's lifeless body hung before me. I didn't move for fear of discovering something else I had done. I reached down to a pocket of my belt of daggers, one was missing. I had five more already stained with blood back in their hilts, and the last was embedded in his chest. I looked down at my arm. Black blood was splattered up my arm. It reeked of Pitch.

I looked down at the pool of black blood before me. I was terrifying; all of my features took on that of a merciless demon. I had turned into the monster that everyone always said I was.

I woke up screaming. I was covered in sweat and all I could see was the different shades of blood on my hands. I jumped up and started running, repeating "I killed them, I killed them" I was barreled into and knocked to the ground. I felt something heavy on my chest but my vision was still all red. An ear-splitting and powerful roar filled my ears and blew the hair out of my face. As the roar started to subside my vision started to clear up.

Excaliver had me pinned on the floor, eyes full of anger and concern. My breathing started to even out and my thoughts came together. "it-it was ju-just a nightmare?" Excaliver nodded. "o-ok" He let me up but concern was still embedded in the dragon face.

I ran a hand through my hair, "ok, ok. I'm good now. But I think I'm going to go get some air" the dragons eyes narrowed. I rubbed one of his horns, "its ok I'll be fine". Excaliver stepped aside and I flew out into the night. It seemed like it was around 3am or so, and the night air was still cool and crisp. I felt two soul mates down in a town under me. "Maybe some work will get my mind of that nightmare" I thought.

I landed in the middle of the town. A soul mate meeting was rare at night but not entirely uncommon. My eyes locked on a girl walking down the street. She was reeking fear. "Well she was walking alone at night" I thought, "kind of an idiot move…"

I looked for her soul mate. I didn't really see anyone…oh there he is. He was peeking out from around a corner watching the girls every move. Information started flooding my mind. They were college students together, the basic stuck in the friend zone because they're too scared to make a move. He was watching her to make sure she got home safely. I looked back at the girl that was nearing a bus stop. The gears in my mind started turning. I shuddered in delight; I had a delightfully devious plan.

I shot past her making a strong gust of wind blind her for a second. I darted into an alley, and I made a deep threatening growl. The girl jumped and whipped around to run the bus stop, only to smack right in to the bus stop sign. She fell to the ground and I saw the boy start to run to her aid. He stopped next to her and helped her up. He brushed the hair out of her face. "Are you ok Sammy?"

I pulled out my bow.

"Jet? What are you doing here?" she stood up

Aim.

"Uh" he started.

Time for some courage. Fire. The arrow hit its mark in the boys back.

"Well I saw you leave the library and it was late and I wanted to make sure you made it back to the dorms safely-"

"So you followed me?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Yea…"

I aimed at the girl.

"That's. That's really sweet. You were worried about me that much?"

"Yea"

Fire. And the arrow shot her in the heart.

"Well my knight in shining armor would you be kind enough to escort me home safely?"

His eyes lit up and the connection was made. I saw their eyes flash pink before they locked arms and started their walk home. I felt their connection lock, my job was done. But then I felt something else. I felt my blood pump faster and get hot; my heart was starting to race. It was Jack. He crushed the heart I gave him. He was in trouble. I shot off of the ground and tore across the sky.

I felt the heart connect with mine and lead me too it. I was almost there when I heard Jack's scream tear trough the sky. All of the memories of the nightmare came flooding back but I brushed them out of the way. I roared to the sky and skyrocketed towards Jack, my body running on fear of what I would find and adrenalin to get there fast enough to stop it from happening.

I was almost there. I shot down into a snow covered pine forest. I raced through the needles cutting my skin and slammed to the ground skidding into a crouch.

I looked up teeth bared, but what I saw made me want to shrink back in fear. All of the Guardians along with Pitch were each bound to trees by coils of smoke.

"So nice of you to join us"

My attention focused on a tree in the middle of them. Where a beat up Jack was bound with a dagger pressed against his throat. I glared at the one holding the daggers hit, "it's about time you showed up my darling". Neo smirked, "now the real fun can begin"


	7. Authors note

**Hey guys! A Dragon Guarded Heart here! So we're climbing into the climax of the story here and I've had this question on my mind for like a week now and I can't decide what to do. **

**Should Pitch and Ashley kiss?**

**I can't decide. And when I say kiss I DO NOT! mean that it will turn into a eat each other's face off then love each other scene. Just wanted to make that clear. **

**So I'm asking you guys, what do you think I should do? **

**I'm going to put a voting poll on my page so please vote for what you want to happen. Voting will close at 12:00 noon this Saturday.**

**I will update some more by then but you won't get your final chapter till after voting and if no one votes I can postpone it longer. And I will leave it on a huge cliffhanger. Yes that was a threat. I need your opinions!**

**So please go to my page and vote or message me if you have another idea in mind.**


	8. Is That I Will Protect Those I Love

Neo smirked, "now the real fun can begin"

"Dammit. Dammit, how the hell did I not fucking sense this sooner!? But I fucking sense it now. Sandy's dreams aren't being spread. No snowball fights are occurring. Kids are losing the memories stored in their lost teeth. There is no fear to keep people safe. I feel it, the emotion is starting to drain from the world" thought after thought was running through my mind while I stood perfectly still. Every muscle in my body was tensed to its limit as I waited for Neo to speak.

"What? No hello? No how are you? Or what have you been up to? Well" he paused "you can kinda see that for yourself no can't you?" I didn't answer him. Neo frowned, "My dear it is very rude not to reply when I am asking you a question" He tsked, "Well if you won't speak then I'll have little Jack Frost here scream for me some more" Neo pressed the dagger to jacks neck again. An involuntary threatening growl rose in my throat. Neo smirked, "that wasn't an answer" Neo slashed the dagger across Jacks shoulder and down his arm. Jacks choked back scream filled my ears.

I bit down on another growl that was forming and steeled myself not to lunge forward and rip out Neo's throat. I fought my body into a relaxed-ish standing position.

"Are you going to be a good mutt now?" he asked.

I gritted my teeth and forced out a yes.

"Good" Neo drew the scarlet dagger back to him and sheathed it. Neo took something out of his pocket and flicked it at Jack. My eyes followed the objects collision into Jack and its' descent to the ground.

It was the heart I gave Jack; it was crushed at his feet. That's what I felt draw me here so urgently, he signaled me.

"It was so nice of you to give that thing to Jack, it made getting you here so much easier" My eyes narrowed, Neo took it from Jack and crushed it. "But you were so slow so I grew bored. If you were a little bit faster you could have saved Jack from so much pain"

"Ashley don't-" Neo whirled around and slapped Jack across the face.

I crumpled to the ground. My nails were digging into the ground shifting from claws to hands and back again. I could feel by magic want to coat my body in scales and spikes, claws and fangs, glowing eyes and sharper wings. My body was telling me to up my defensive and charge into an offensive attack. I was shaking trying to control my primal urges.

"Just give in to it" Neo coaxed. "Attack me, but can you kill me before I snap my fingers and they all perish?"

I knew I couldn't.

I released a bone jarring dragon's roar. Neo backed up. I concentrated all of my primal power. My body glowed with power as I was taken over by my draconian from and punched a large pine tree. It was instantly uprooted and crashed into several trees behind it coming to a stop about a dozen destroyed trees later. My body returned to its normal state and I was left glaring at Neo and breathing heavy while smoke drifted from my body.

I could see the fear in his eyes. But it was replaced with satisfaction. Neo and I both knew that I was bound to the spot surrounded by invisible tripwires connected to my friend's lives. Everyone was staring at me wide eyed, but I just kept glaring a Neo.

"If you're quite done we can get to bargaining for your friends lives" I nodded. Neo put his hands together, "well then let's get down to business then shall we? My deal is simple. Relinquish your power and magic to me and I will end their suffering"

Jack spoke up again, "No Ashley Don't do it!"

Neo grabbed Jack by the neck, "You irksome little brat!"

"Let him go!"

Neo snapped his eyes to mine. "He hasn't done anything!" I continued.

"While he is annoying you do have a point. None of the Guardians have done anything to me. their just leverage against you". He paused "But"

His dagger shot to being pressed against Pitch's neck. Pitch didn't even flinch. Neo snarled in his face, "He foiled my plans! If I had killed this pathetic idiot when I had the chance I would still have the only spirit that could get in the way of my plans locked up in my lair with her will broken and lost".

Pitch smirked, "this, pathetic idiot, is the one that stopped you from claiming your prize of innocence"

Neo drew back his fist and advanced it towards Pitch. But all that was heard was the sickening crack of Neo's bones as his hand broke against a small pink barrier. He jumped back and howled in pain. He whipped around at me.

"Do you want your friends to di-"

"I accept the deal"

Neo froze. "I will give you my power in trade for their safety".

He smiled, "let's get started then ". Neo reached out and snatched my hand. I felt what was like burning hot electricity run through my arm and spread out into the rest of my body. The lightning illuminated both of us but Neo was in no pain. I sank to my knees and fought through the pain that ravaged my body. With every new jolt I grew weaker and weaker. I gritted my teeth in pain as one final shock went through my body. I fell to the ground on my hands and knees and gasped for air.

Neo had a sadistic smile while the rest of the Guardians watched in horror and Pitch was filled with unease.

Neo examined his hand and the new power he felt surging through his body. "good my dear. Not the second part of the deal".

"Fuck" I thought.

"Do this and your friends will go free" Neo dropped a long sword in front of me. "Cut off your wings"


	9. No Matter The Price

**Sorry it's been a while since I updated guys. You know how school is and my college essays are driving me up the wall…but! Anyway without further ado….**

I can't stand to be locked up. I can't stand being given orders when they will just comeback and correct me on how to carry them out. And you will get punched in the face if you ever try to tell me that I need to change who I am.

But. But I can't handle _myself_ being the cause of their pain.

I would take millions of volts straight to the heart before I would be the cause of anyone else's suffering, because that would hurt me more than any physical pain could.

I looked down at the long sword in front of me.

"Cut off your wings and they will go free" Neo repeated. I dug my nails into the ground, then reached for the sword. Screams and shouts erupted from the Guardians, I drowned them out. Neo didn't care what they said he knew I was trapped. I squeezed the sword. I tossed the sword onto the ground, "you do it"

I didn't look up at Neo but I could feel the realization dawn on him. He stole all of my magic and most of my power, I couldn't cut them off, he had to.

Neo split an evil smile, "with pleasure my dear" I saw him reach down and pick up the sword. I heard the crunch of the dirt as he walked behind me. I opened my wings out fully behind me. everything seemed like it was going I slow motion. Everything from the last few days fluttered through my vision. How I was sparring with Pitch. When Avarias made an appearance. The look of _fear_, in Pitch's eyes when she left and I got control back. And the same look of fear on everyone's faces right now. It amazed me how everything could go to hell in a heartbeat. And that's what I was fighting for, a heartbeat.

I felt the air shift as Neo raised the sword.

I risked a look at every one. They were all so sad. Tooth screamed at me to stop. Bunny did the same. North and Sandy looked at me with sympathy. They knew there was no way for them to stop me. Pitch knew that too, he had his eyes closed and braced himself for the sounds of my pain. I saw the tears in Jacks eyes start to form.

I looked back down at the ground by my knees. I could feel tears in my eyes as well. My freedom was about to be taken away.

I heard Jack scream, "Stop! Ashley! Please don't do it! There has to be another way! Please stop!" his voice was thick with helplessness.

I shut my eyes and fought back the tears, "there isn't"

I heard the sword slice through the air, and I felt it stop halfway through the bone. My scream filled the forest as pain rippled through my body. As Neo pulled and twisted the blade to wrench it free I dug my nails into the ground and fought back the tears and cries that threatened to spill. Neo brought up his foot and smashed it onto my wing, snapping the bone and sending my angelic wings falling to the Earth.

My tortured cries filled my ears. I collapsed to the ground on my stomach as Neo let out a victorious cackle. Tears ran down my face as I struggled to keep myself together.

No POV

"HAHAHAHA! Finally! The only thing standing in my way is defenseless!" Neo drove his heel into Ashley's back and she let out a small cry of pain. Neo stomped on her over and over trying to get more cry's of pain out of his toy but only received more small cries. Neo let out an angry snarl and sent her flying by a kick to the gut. She hit the ground with less than a small grunt of pain. Neo was furious. He went up and grabbed a fist full of her hair. Neo drug her to a few feet in front of Jack and let her drop to the ground.

"Okay, I guess it's as good a time as any to fulfill my part of the deal" Neo smiled. Black wisps of sand shot up and around everyone stopping inches from their necks with pointed ends sharp as razor blades.

"no" Ashley breathed. Neo turned to look down at her, "you really should have seen this coming my dear. So enjoy watching your friends die because when I'm through with them I will finish what I started. Then I will throw you in a cage to rot, forever burdened with the guilt of your friends deaths"

Neo turned back towards his captives, and was met with a glowing pair of deadly red eyes.

Neo jumped back in surprise as he took in the figure before him. Ashley lifted her head up slightly, "Avarias"

Her eyes flickered to Ashley then back to Neo "Now who the hell said that anyone was allowed to lay a hand on her other than me?" Neo was speechless. Avarias placed a hand on her hip, "well?" Neo snapped out of his daze, "who are you to give me orders?" he retorted. She smiled and let out a light chuckle, "you really are stupid aren't you?"

"Avarias" Ashley warned.

"You shut it. You are no good to me dead" she snapped. "And you. Are you going to just stand there like the pansy you are or are you going to give a shot at fighting me?"

Neo's eyes narrowed, "you have just sealed your own demise"

She smirked, "let's go" Avarias barreled into Neo and catapulted off of him into the trees. Neo jumped up from the ground and raced after her, his roars of anger fading into the trees.

There was a deafening silence only breached by the distant sounds of battle

"I-I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry" Ashley was staring at the ground with tears running down her face.

Everyone looked at Ashley. She was broken. There was no hope left in her that she could save them. She knew Avarias was only delaying the inevitable. She wasn't nearly as strong as Ashley was. Avarias was already using up power by fueling her phantom form to be out of her body in the first place. She didn't stand a chance, she never did.

"I failed. I can't save you guys"

"Don't say that Sheila come on get up! "I can't. I'm not, I'm not strong enough." I couldn't look them in the eyes. She had given everything she had but it wasn't enough.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?" I looked up at Jack. He was fuming with anger.

"You're not strong enough? Did you really just say that!?" Jack snapped. "Do I need to remind you just how strong you really are? You can fly around the world in seconds. You've beaten the spirit of battle countless times. I've seen you tame sea serpents. I've seen you lift boulders. Hell, I've seen you take a full blast of lightning from a weather spirit and walk away!"

"But Neo took my-"

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING! Neo may have taken your power and magic but you still have more than enough power to kick that idiot into next week! And you've figured out ways to get out of worse things than this million of times!"

"But I can't think of any-"

" You're never going to think of anything if you just sit around feeling sorry for yourself! If we didn't think you could do this we would have given up by now too. And Avarias wouldn't be out there right now fighting for you if she didn't think you could do this. She believes in you. Just like we do."

"Y-You? You guys believe in me?"

"Yep" Jack smiled. He was right they all believed in me. Now I just needed to do the same.


	10. And We Will Always Be Together Because

Seconds that seemed like hours passed while Ashley's mind raced for a plan to defeat Neo.  
"I might have a plan" she said.  
"Alright! There's the Ashley I know!" Jack cheered.  
She looked up at Pitch and Sandy. "Do you know of the legendary wizard Ormbric?"  
Their eyes widened, and the two nodded.  
She smiled, "good. Cause we need to cast a mind linking spell". Sandy and Pitch exchanged glares then closed they're eyes. She did the same. She opened up her mind to them, she put down the wall around her mind that had been up for so long, and she felt them. She felt Sandy's bright conscious mix with her own soon followed by Pitch's dark one.  
"_Can you guys hear me?"_  
"_Yes_" Pitch replied.  
"_Same here_" She jumped slightly at the light male voice she had never heard but she knew it was Sandy.  
"_I can barely stand on my own let alone fight Neo but I have a plan and I can't do it without your cooperation_" she paused, "_I need you to cover my body in dream and nightmare sand."_  
Pitch stayed silent, but Sandy piped up, "_what do you mean?"_  
" _I need you two to use you powers to support my body, almost like a puppet but we will all be in control. You will help me attack, evade, and when I ask create a weapon for me to wield_" she sighed, "_but you two need to work together. This can't work without complete and total teamwork. Do you guys get the plan?"_  
"_Yes. I will do my best_" Sandy replied.  
She waited for Pitch to respond.  
He growled, "_Yes I get the plan, let's hurry up and get this over with_"  
Ashley felt a pain shoot through her body. "_Good, cause Avarias isn't gonna last much longer_"  
She looked to her left to see her crash through a tree and hit the ground. Avarias' body was as battered and bruised as hers was. She looked up at Ashley and grinned, she had done all she could. Neo came out of the trees and stomped on Avarias, "did you really think you stood a chance?" She looked up at Ashley and shot her a 'good luck' smile as her body turned to smoke and flowed back into Ashley.  
Neo glared at her, "this ends now" he snarled.  
She smirked, "agreed"  
"_Now guys_"  
Black and golden sand streamed out of the ground and snaked around her legs and up her waist. She shakily stood up.  
"What do you think you're doing?" Neo growled.  
More sand snaked down her arms and up her neck in contrasting purples and gold's. The sand glided onto her face, "I..."  
The colors started to settle to her body and still, "am..."  
She flexed her claws, "not..."  
She lifted her head, "done..."  
Her fiery sterling eyes locked with Neo's violet ones, "yet."  
She stood there in her frightening stance of power, dark and light mix-matched on her body.  
Neo looked over her and chuckled, "is this all you have? Your last drops of power draped over you like some form of an abstract mess". He waved his hand and a long double ax appeared in his palm. "If you are so keen on a death wish then I suppose I can grant it" he smirked.  
"_Let's start this thing off in style_" she smiled, "_how about a scythe?"_  
Nightmare sand collected next to her until it morphed into a large deadly scythe. She wrapped her hand around it, "this time you'll stay dead" she bolted towards him.  
"You're going to wish you were dead" he advanced at her.  
Ashley brought the blade over her head and down onto Neo. He blocked with the bar of his ax and swung it around to throw her off. She slid across the ground and knocked away Neo's oncoming blade. She brought the scythe around in a glittering arc and swung for the head she wanted to see roll. He dropped to the ground and swung for her feet. She dug the blade of the scythe into the ground and swung herself over and away from Neo.  
She slid across the ground, "_Ok! How about some whips!" _Streams of dream sand flowed out of her fists and took the shape of whips.  
Neo started to advance again until a glowing whip sliced his cheek. He backpedaled cursing under his breath as Ashley shot out more strikes at him. She advanced towards him and her whip caught his ax which she ripped out of his hand.  
Neo took the second that she was distracted to throw his daggers at her. She felt an involuntary force take over her body and throw her to the ground. "Ugh..." She moaned from the ground. She jumped up to her feet, "a little bit softer next time would ya!" They were about to retort when daggers hit their mark in Ashley's arm, calf, and hip. She  
fell to her knees in pain. Another few knives flew towards her but were stopped by a wall of mixed sand. "Thanks", she muttered.  
She looked at the bloodied sword on the ground near her, the one used to take her wings. "It's now or never..."  
Ashley severed the mental communication and grabbed the sword. She ran at Neo, all of the sand melting from her body. They locked blades.  
"Looks like your little trick is over!" He yelled.  
She clenched her jaws, she couldn't hold out much longer. She readied herself for what she knew was coming.  
"Now Tslar Lunar!"  
A moonbeam shot down from the heavens and encased Ashley and Neo. Their screams of pain filled the forest.  
Bolts of white lightning shot across their bodies and left burn marks all over them, the writher in pain as what seemed like white hot fire ripped through their veins. Neo tried to flee and escape the vortex of light but Ashley held onto his wrists and kept him trapped. He kicked at her stomach but she still didn't let go, this was his end, but it was hers as well. Neo's body started to crack and fall apart. They watched as his body broke off piece by piece until he let out a final scream that faded off into oblivion. The moonbeam faded and set Ashley back onto her feet.

The restraints around the Guardians and Pitch's body disappeared and they were freed.

Jack jumped up in the air and yelled, "Alright! See Ashley? We knew you could do it!"

Ashley didn't respond.

"A-Ashley?" Jack asked.

She shakily turned her head and looked at Jack and smiled, and then fell to the ground.

"Ashley!" Jack yelled running over to her. He knelt next to her head, "Are you ok!?" Jack attention was taken by the glowing lights that started to float from her feet.

Her smile fell, "Manny warned me about this"

"About what? What's happening to you!?" Jack panicked.

She took in a shaky breath, "he said that if I was caught in the moonbeam with Neo I would be destroyed as well"

"Yo-u you're dying?" tears started to fill Jacks eyes.

"It looks that way", Ashley replied. The lights had now reached her knees and her feet were gone.

"NO!" jack wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her neck, "you can't die!" the rest of the guardians walked over beside her, but pitch kept his distance.

She felt his tears on her neck; she hated to see people cry, especially for her. "Jack, please look at me" he brought his head back up and look her in the eyes. "Please don't cry for me, don't make this harder than it needs to be." The lights were up to her waist. "I'm sorry that I have to hurt you. I wish that I didn't have to, but life is hard and we live with the choices we make. And doesn't worry" she smiled, "you still have the guardians to watch over you. Right guys?" The lights were starting to eat away at her arms.

Sandy crossed his heart. Tooth nodded and buried her tear stained face into Bunny's shoulder and the Pooka nodded as well.

North took out a sword and dug its tip into the ground and bowed, "I promise on my title as a Guardian."

The lights reached her chest. She smiled again, "see Jack? You've got nothing to worry about"

"But" he uttered.

"Jack. Can you do something for me?"

His eyes shot open wide, "anything!"

"then please don't be sad about me, be happy. Live for me. Spread beautiful snow wherever you go, get some lovers to have a snowball fight, and throw a snowball for me please."

Jack chocked back sobs and nodded his tear stained face.

Ashley looked at Pitch who had his back to her. "And Pitch?" he turned his head to look at her. "I will always keep my promise." His eyes widened and he quickly turned away.

The lights framed her face, "I hate goodbyes, so….I'll see ya later….." Her eyes glowed sterling silver and the rest of her faded away. The lights circled around and flowed into the sky. Her fallen wings faded away into lights and joined them. As the spiral of lights flowed into the clouds a dragon's roar was heard. They watched as Excaliver roared and circled the lights as they ascended. And soon his body faded into wisps of clouds and joined them.

No one spoke. No one knew what to say really. Jack was on the ground sobbing and Sandy was trying to comfort him. Bunny held Toothania as she cried; he looked like he was just angry at that this should have never happened. North just stared at the sky, his face wearing an unreadable expression. Nothing was heard until Pitch decided it was time for him to leave.

Bunny's head shot up at the sound of his footsteps, "Where the bloody hell do you think you're going!?"

Pitch didn't stop or look back.

"You could have at least said something to her you heartless bastard!"

Pitch still didn't stop or reply to Bunny, for if he did, the tears he was straining to hold back might fall.


	11. I Love You, My Nightmare King

It had been about a month since Ashley had passed away.

The world felt so much...emptier...with her gone. While there was still love in the world it felt, incomplete with her gone. Everything felt so empty without her. It felt like laughs didn't happen as often, like roses hade lost some of their beauty, like hugs weren't as warm.

The Guardians held a funeral of the highest honor for her, Jack was so upset. He flew to Antarctica to let out his pain. Meteorologists hade never seen blizzards so strong. .He made her a rose of ice in the middle of the snow as a tribute to her. But he kept his promise, he spread joy and snow wherever he went, and he threw a snowball for her, right in Bunnys face. Bunny crafted a shining pink complete with white feathers that Tooth made. Sandy spread dreams of winged warriors to children. And North made a stuffed dragon with its rider. But Pitch didn't, couldn't, do anything for her, he couldn't bring himself to go to her funeral.

Pitch had been trying to fight off all of the feelings that came with losing her, and he wasn't winning the battle.

He saw her every where he went.

In the pink morning clouds, in the scythe he wielded, in the stuffed dragons of children.

He couldn't go back to his lair, the memories were to much to handle. He felt his gut tighten whenever he saw a couple hug. He wanted to retch when ever he smelled the oncoming of a rainstorm, it smelled so much like her.

He hated whenever he heard a human call her name, no one could ever be as special as she was...

Pitch was walking home on the outskirts of some woods with his eyes to the ground when he heard something.

"They say before you start a war" Pitch stopped in his tracks. He turned his head towards the couple with the radio.

"Aww Mike this song is so sweet"

"Yea I thought you might like it". He smiled and pulled the brunette closer to him and started to sing with it, "well baby you are all that I adore,

if love is what you need, a solider I will be" he kissed her cheek.

Pitch staggered backwards clutching his head. Memories of Ashley came flooding back like a tidal wave. She flashed across his vision, he turned and started running.

The words "I'm an angel with a shot gun" followed him as he ran.

He ran through the forest, blinded by his moments with Ashley and the tears forming in his eyes. He remembered when she saved him from the nightmares, he remembered when she looked up at him with such hope in her eyes when he saved her from Neo, he remembered when she didn't hesitate taking that knife for him, he remembered when she smiled at him like it was them against the world and nothing could stop them, he remembered the blushing smile on her face when she asked him to spar, he remembered the laughter she tried to hide behind her anger when he scared her, he remembered the tears in her eyes when she thought he was afraid of her, he remembered when she said she would keep her pro-.

He tripped and was sent flying, he hit the ground and didn't bother to get up.

The promise, that's what sent him over the edge.

He propped himself up off the ground, tears streaming down his face.

The words came back to his mind "I've got your back Pitch and you can count on that"

He screamed up at the sky, "WHY!? Why did you have to take her from me!? What did I do to deserve this!? Why did she have to die as a punishment for what I've done!? Why did she have to protect me!? Why didn't she just hate me like everyone else!?" He sunk back to the ground sobbing, "why did I have to fall in love with her..."

Minutes passed while the Nightmare King laid there sobbing. He didn't notice a small moon beam shine it's way through the shadowy trees. It reached a spot above the ground and started to grown in size and intensity. Pitch hissed at the sudden light and took refuge in the shadows behind a tree, but his curiosity didn't let him leave.

As the moonbeam started to die down and fade he peeked around from the tree, he felt his black heart start and stop again.

He watched as the faded to reveal...Ashley...

It lowered her unconscious body to the ground and laid her there. As the moonbeam retreated to its master he saw Ashley stir and come too. She got up clutching her head and almost toppled over. She regained her balance at looked around, "wh-where? Where am I?" She turned around again and saw Pitch standing a ways away from her.

Ashley felt her breath hitch and she breathed his name, "pitch..."

His expression was next to unreadable but she thought she saw anger behind his eyes. "Pitch I'm so sorry, I-I didn't want to leave you like that, I'm so sorry this is all my fault" she saw him take a step forward.

She started to panic and taking steps back, "look Pitch that was my only option and at the time I didn't know that the Man in the Moon could bring me back and-" Ashley backed up into a tree, tears forming in her eyes. Pitch was still stalking towards her.

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that pain because of me. I know it's all my fault-" Pitch had her cornered and was starting down at her. She closed her tear filled eyes and prepared herself for the tongue-lashing she knew she deserved. She flinched when she felt his hands cup her face.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She widened her eyes at the sight of his tear stained face, "Pitch?"

She saw a tear slide down his face and he smiled, "I thought I lost you". He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She stood their frozen for a second then burst into tears and threw her arms around him.

They sunk to the ground, still holding each other close, her in his lap crying her eyes out.

He pulled away slightly but didn't let go of her, "why are you crying?"

She choked through sobs, "it's all my fault...I-I caused you so much pain..." He pulled her back to his chest and started stroking her hair. She looked up at him and sniffled, "are you petting me?"

"I honestly didn't know what else to do", Pitch replied.

She laughed, "well it might have worked" she blushed.

Pitch chuckled, then his eyes zeroed in one something. "Ashley? Have you realized yet that you have wings again?"  
She froze like she saw a ghost, "s-s-seriously?" She hesitantly reached behind her, and when her finger tips hit scales, her eyes lit up. She jumped out of Pitch's lap and began to examine her wings like she had never seen them before.  
"They're complete replicas! Every bone I've broken, membrane I tore, and look I've still got the scar from Neo!" She yelled happily.  
Pitch was confused, "why are you happy about that?"

"Well, I think that every scar holds a memory and I like to cherish them. Kinda like how Tooth collects the memories in teeth just a bit more morbid."

Pitch smiled and wrapped her in another hug, "I'm so glad you're back"

She hugged him back tightly, "Me too. It would've sucked if I couldn't see you again."

He looked down at her, "Because you have to keep your promise right?"

She looked up at him, "Well there's that". She looked back down, "and probably some other reasons too…"

Pitch felt his stomach tie in a knot, and uneasiness sweep over him. "What does she mean?" he thought. "Does she actually want to be with me?...does….does she love me?" Pitch had already come to the terms that no matter how much he fought it he loved her but he didn't know if she loved him back. "I guess it's as good a time as any to find out…" he brought his hand out from around her to gently hold her chin. He lifted her head up so that she was looking at him in the eyes.

"Pitch? What are you-?" she was met by Pitch's lips.

She was terrified. She was always too afraid of being rejected that she never openly showed affection. She had frozen in terror when Pitch kissed her. When she didn't move Pitch tensed up and pulled back. He let go of her, "I apologize. That was unwarranted." His eyes fell as he turned his back to her, "but at least I have my answer..." He started walking away.

Ashley's mind started functioning again, "he just, kissed me, that...that's what I wanted" realization dawned on her, "but I was too scared to kiss back" She ran after him before he could disappear into the shadows, "Pitch wait!"

"What could you possibly have to sa-"

She threw her arms around his neck and cut him off with a kiss of her own. She slowly pulled away and looked into his shocked eyes. "I was just too scared before. Im too scared to show affection, but it's not because I don't love you, cause I really..." He put a finger to her lips and smiled, "I love you too"

She felt her eyes water happily, and Pitch leaned down to finish what he started.

She felt a warm feeling spread through her body as his lips melded with hers. She was so close to him, with her arms around his neck and his body enveloping her. She lost herself as his smell filled her body and his taste make her brain go fuzzy.

She felt Avarias take a presence in her mind, "oh man do I approve of this"

A smile graced her lips, "me too"

"I never thought that we'd find someone to love us both..."

"Me neither. I was so afraid that we'd be alone and unloved"

Avarias laughed, "funny how the king of fear ended up solving both those problems"

Ashley giggled a little at that. The two broke away and his eyes met hers, "what's so funny?"

She laughed again, "oh nothing, just thinking how I've finally got my first kiss"

He raised a nonexistent eyebrow, "you have seriously never been kissed before today?"

She blushed and shook her head.

"That's hard to believe. Well, maybe not since you are a lot to handle." He teased.

She blushed furiously. "Maybe..." She jumped back and catapulted into his chest. The two somersaulted across the ground until sliding to a stop with Ashley on top of Pitch. "But at least I'm a lot of fun!"

"Define fun" Pitch groaned from the ground.

Ashley giggled and curled up on Pitch's chest. "Being with you..."

Pitch felt his chest tighten in unease. Being loved was going to take some getting used to, he placed a hand on her head, on both our parts...

He breathed a sigh, "what have I gotten myself into?" He thought. Pitch laid his head back and let his eyes close. He let her smell flow over him like a wave of healing to the scars that had pained him for so long, that the tainted soul of Cupid had not tried to cleanse his but paired with it, that in his long, tortured, existence, he was...happy...he was...loved

**A Dragon Guarded heart: while I am glad I get to wrap the story up nicely I am sad that I am at the end, but I regret none of it. I laughed, cried, and despaired throughout this tale just like all of you did. I'm crying that it is over but I'm glad it happened. Tears are never in vain because they speak the words of your heart that your mind cannot express, and while they can show our weakness, they can also show the fire that burns in your soul. Whether it be pure or stained black.**


End file.
